About the Mint

The Russian renaissance30 декабря 2016 года, 11:01

The Russian renaissance

At the end of December 2016 the Bank of Russia put into circulation three “Jeweler’s Art in Russia. Sazikov” commemorative coins. The coins were struck at the Saint Petersburg Mint of Goznak.

“Jeweler’s Art in Russia. Sazikov” coins are made in “proof” quality of sterling silver.

The silver coin with the face value of 3 roubles was minted in the number of 3000 pieces. The weight of the precious metal in purity is 31.1 g. The milled edge is of 300 riffles.

The silver coin with the face value of 25 roubles was minted in the number of 850 pieces. The content of the precious metal in purity is 155.5 g. the diameter is 60.00 mm. the milled edge is of 252 riffles.

The silver of the silver coin with the face value of 25 roubles in the special edition was minted in the number of 150 pieces. The content of the precious metal in purity is 155.5 g. The diameter is 60.00 mm. the milled edge is of 252 riffles.

The same relief image is minted on the mirror surface of the reverse of the silver coins with the face values of 3 roubles, 25 roubles and 25 roubles in the special edition – “Troika” sculptural composition against the background of an inkstand in the shape of a wooden house with a yard (a product of Sazikov Jewelry Company).

Andrey Brynza, the author of the coin reverse sketches, an artist of the Design Center of Goznak, said that the work upon the sketch began a couple of years ago, under the order of Gokhran. The topic was mentioned abstractedly – the Russian jeweler’s art. A few objects of jeweler’s art were chosen to be depicted on the sketch, but later on, the topic was changed to “Jeweler’s art of Sazikov Company”.

Sazikov Jewelry Company went down in the history of the Russian jeweler’s art with small forms of sculpture plastics and decorative plates and dishes. The company was the first one to develop “the Russian style” in jeweler’s art.

The artist initially planned a sculpture with the Russian bogatyr, but “Troika” was chosen later on.
Andrey Brynza noted that depicting an object of a small sculptural form, he tried to transmit the not only the style of Sazikov Jewelry Company, but also the spirit of the cultural epoch right before the beginning of the silver age. At that time, Art Nouveau was mixed with the Russian Renaissance smoothly, and craving for the Russian art all over the world – the Russian jewelers, sculptors, ballet.

Besides, the flying troika became a personification of Russia – nowhere else in the world they put in harness three horses; the sculpture represents the Russian winter – the peasants are dressed in sheepskins, the troika pulls a sledge.
The second ground made with the help of laser matting enforces the perception of winter. A silhouette of an inkstand also by Sazikov Company is depicted on it. The inkstand represents a Russian village yard – a wooden yard, a fir-tree above the house, a draw well.
Andrey Brynza drew the background of the coin from nature using a very interesting object – an antique album with a graphic image of the inkstand. In the epoch when photography was not wide spread yet, objects of art were drawn, not photographed.

Working upon the second ground of the image, Andrey Brynza not simply transferred the inkstand contours to the sketch, he added the feeling of a wind, a snowstorm, purity and freshness of the winter frost to the general impression of the coin composition.

On the coin with the face value of 25 roubles in the special edition, besides relief and laser matting, enamel of two shades is applied. The blue colour transmits the winter atmosphere, and the brown colour emphasizes the beauty of the ornamental stone, which is the pedestal of “Troika” sculpture and outlines the cold shimmer of silver.

“Those who appreciate and value the “Russian Renaissance” style know that in Moscow and the Moscow Region, in Saint Petersburg, there have remained a lot of architectural monuments of this style”, said Andrey Brynza. “Thus, there is Fiodorovskiy Gorodok in Tsarskoye Selo, a church in the Russian style in Abramtsevo, works by Vasnetsov, Vrubel in the Russian Renaissance style in the Russian museums, decorative and applied arts of the workshops of Abramtsevo, Talakshino, Tenisheva’s. There’s something to look at”.